Separator



A. H. STEBBINS I SEPARATOR Filed Oct. 27, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l T ORNE Patented Aug. is, 1924'.

UNITED STATES PATENT omen.

nnsnar n. s'rnnnms, or LOS Antennas, cnmroam snrmron. Application med am: 27,1922. Serial No. 597,317.

To all whom it may concern;-

Be it known that I, ALBERT H. S'rnBnINs, a citizen ofthe United-States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented an Improvement in Separators, of which the following description, 1n connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification,

like characters on the drawings representing like parts. e

The invention to be herein described relates to separators for removing liquid from a gaseous fluid in which it may be suspended.

Thepresent invention is well adapted to treat natural gas asit comes from the wells to remove the oil, gasoline and other petroe lcum products therefrom, and the invention steam or air,

is also well adapted to remove moisture from and for various other purposes.

One feature of the invention resides in a separator having apertured screens disposed therein so that the liquid within the aseous fluid being treated will be deposite upon the screens.

A more specific feature of the invention resides in a separator having apertured screens disposedtherein to form an annular chamber between the screens about which the gaseous fluid to be treated whirls, and the screens have lips extending away fromthe annular. chamber and upon which the liquid within the gaseous fluid is deposited.

Other features of the invention and novel combination of parts in addition to the above Wlll be hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate one good practical form thereof. In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a side elevation with parts in sectlon of a separator constructed in ac.-

cordancewith the present invention;

F 1g. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 isan enlar ed perspective view of two of the aperture plates within the separator; and

Fig. 4 is a side view of a modified construce t1on of an apertured plate.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated a container 10 is provided conveniently in the form of a drum and is sup-- portedm a standing position. The lower end of the drum or container 10 is closed as at 11 and forms a tank in which the liquid accumulates as it is removed from the gaseous fluid.

removed through the opening 19, and the A tube 12 preferably extends longitudinally within the cointainer 10 as shown and progects through the upper. end 13 ofthe 5 container, and the tube 12 may have aper- 0 tures 14 formed therein about the tube' and longitudinally thereof to ermit fluid to pass from the container into t e tube. One or more apertured screens are mounted within the container 10 so that the gaseous fluid will pass through the screens and will deposit liquid thereupon, and the screens preferablyextend around the tube 12 in spaced relation thereto.

It is desirable that the gaseousfluid be delivered into the container with a whirling movement that will cause it to travel about the container and longitudinally thereof so that the liquid carried thereby will be thrown outwardly bycentrifugal force, and to this end, in the present case, the fluid to be treated is delivered tan entially into the upper part of the container 10 b a number of pipes, 15 leading from a con uit 16. a The pipes 15 preferably slope downwardly somewhat as shown in F igfi 1, to impart a downward whirling movement to the fluid delivered thereby into the container, and a number of relatively small pipes 15 are preferable to one large pipe leading into the container, as the smallpipes will deliver the fluid at a number of points lengthwise of thetank, and the fluid delivered by these small pipes will enter the container '10 at points near the outer wall thereof.

The conduit 16 may lead from any source of supply, and in'thc present case the portion 16 of the conduit extends upwardly from a horizontal portion 17. Asa result of this arrangement some liquid may accumulate at'the' bend of the conduit, and this may be drained into the tank at the lower end of the container by a pipe 18. The liquid'ln the lower portion-of the container may be containerlO may be supported by feet The portion of the conduit-16from which the pipes 15 lead may be flattened somewhat as shown at 21, Fig. 2.

It is desirable that the container 10 be in which the fluid $0 be treated may whirl. and the-walls of this annular chamber should be comparatively smooth so as not to unduly check the flow of the fluid in the annular chamber. Furthermore, since in the con-- struction shown the fluid passes from the constructed to provide an annular chamber Q into the lower container 10 into the tube 12 through apertures in the wall of the tube, it is desirable to provide aperatures in the inner wall forming the annular chamber so that the fluid'may pass through this wall toward the tube 12. f

Therefore in the construction shown the container 10 has an apertured screen 22 mounted therein about the tube 12 and in spaced relation to the wall of the container to form the annular chamber 23, and the apertured screen 22 preferably is formed of a perforated plate having a comparatively smooth outer surface and lips 24 extending inwardly from its inner surface. The gaseous fluid whirling about the annular chamber 23 ,will pass inwardly through the apertures 25 of the perforated late 22 and will deposit liquid upon this p ate and the lips 24, which liquid I ortion of the container 10.

It may be esirable to provide one or more apertured screens 26 between the screen 22 and the tube 12 upon which more of the liquid carried by the fluid may be deposited, and since the circular travel of the fluid is arrested before it reaches the screen 26 it is not important that this screen have a smooth outer surface and the same may therefore be constructed of wire mesh as shown.

It is desirable that a protected s ace be provided adjacent .the inner wall of t e container 10 in which the liquid thrown outwardly by centrifugal force .may accumulate and run down toward the lower end of the container, and to this end in the construction shown the inner wall of the container is lined with an apertured screen 27 preferably consisting of a perforated plate having a comparatively smoothinner face,

and lips 28 extending outward from the outer face to hold the screen 27 slightly spaced from the. wall of the container. The screen 27, although desirable in most cases, is not an essential part of the present invention.

The tube 12 may be" supported centrally within the casing 10 by one or more spiders upon.

.' form these lips so that they are inclined designated by 32 in 29, and the circular screens 26 and 22 may be held in spaced relation to the tube 12 by bolts 30 having In some cases instead of forming the lips 24 and 28 so that they extend vertically, as best shown in Fig. 3, it may be desirable to as Fig. 4, since this will cause the liquid deposited upon the inclined lips to travel along the same toward the' point where the lips joinonto the plate.

The liquid within the fluid being treated which is not removed by the various screens will be de osited upon the tube 12 and pass downwar y along the same as the fluid will trickle down the platesleeves 31 mounted there-- extending. lips, means for delivering the gaseous fluid to be treatedinto the container with a whirling movement about the perforated plate so that the fluid may whirl freely in the space between the perforated plate and container and upon passing through the perforations toward the tube will deposit liquid upon said lips.

2. A separator for removing li uid from a gaseous fluid, comprising in com ination, a container, a tube extending centrally within the container and having apertures for the passage of fluid from the container into the tube, a, perforated-plate forming a lining for the inner face of the container, a second perforated plate surrounding the tube and forming an annular space between the two plates, ips upon each of the plates and extending away from said annular space, and means for delivering the gaseous fluid to be treated into said annular space with a whirlingmovement to deposit liquid .upon said ips.

.a gaseous fluid, comprising in combination,

a drum supported in a standing position, a tube mounted within the drum and having apertures for the passage of fluid from the drum into the tube; means for delivering the gaseous fluid to be treated into the drum with a whirling movement, including a .pluruality ofpipes leading tangentially into the drum at different points lengthwise thereof, and 'an apertured screen surrounding the tube within-the drum and adapted to arrest the liquid in the fluid as the latterpasses about the containerand through the screen to the tube. I

t. Aseparator for removing liquid from a gaseous fluid, comprising in combination, a container, a tube extending longitudinally within said container and having apertures therein along-its length for the passa e of vide the lips with inclined edges along which the liquid travels and means for dethe gaseous fluid to be treated into livering V the space between the perforated plate and her withinthe drum the tube and mosses container so the the. apertures of liquid upon said litps.

5. A separator or removing liquid from w fluid, comprising in combination an n right drum, a tube mounted centrally within the drum to form an annular chamhaving apertures along its length for the passage of fiuid therethrou h, means for delivering the gaseous fluid to be treated tangentially into the annular chamiber to pass longitudinally within said chamber with a spiral movement, apertured screens surrounding the tube so that the fluid within the annular chamber will as through the screens to deposit the liquid upon the screens, and an outer apertured screen lining the inner wall of the drum and forming a surface through which the liquid may pass as it is deposited upon the same. i

6. A se arator for removing liquid from gaseous duid, comprising in combination, an upright drum, a tube mounted within the drum to form an annular chamber within the drumv and having apertures along w an upright drlirh,

its len h for the passage of fluid therethroug I fluid to be treated gtangentiall into the aunular chamber toipam lengthwise therein with a spiral movement, an apertured' screen lining the outer wall of said chamber for the deposit of liquid thereupon, and an apertured screen surrounding the tube in spaced relation thereto so that the fluid within the annular chamber will pass through the screen to the tube and deposit the liquid upon the screen.

7. A m "arator for removing liquid from gaseous uid, comprising in combination, a tube mounted centrally within the drum and having apertures fluid will 'pass through, said plate and deposit screens, and

means for delivering the gaseous the container at therein alon its length for the passage of fluid th'eret rough, a gair of a timed screenssurroundmg sai tube an spawd to form an annular chamber between the into the space between the, screens to travel lengthwise thereof with a whirling movement to deposit liquid upon the to pass inwardly through one screen and the apertures of the tube'intothe tube.

8. separator- -for removing liquid from a gaseous fluid, comprising in combination, a container, a tube extending centrallywithin the container and having a' ertures along its length for the passage of. container into the tube, perforated lates surrounding said tube in spaced relation to each other and forming an annular chamber with smooth walls between the plates, lips upon each of the plates and extending away from the annular chamber, and means for delivering the gaseous fluid to be treated into the annular chamber with a whirling movement to deposit liquid upon said lips. 9. A separator for removing liquid from a gaseous fluid, comprising in combination, acontainer, a tube extending centrally within the container to conduct'fiuid from the container and formin an annular chamber between the drum and container, means for delivering the gaseous fluid to be treated into the annular chamber with a whirling movement, including a plurality of pipes.

leading from a conduit tangentially into different points lengthwise of the container, and an apertured screen within the annular chamber and presenting a rough surface upon which the liquid in the fluid is deposi In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ALBERT H. STEBBINS.

means for delivering the fluid} screens and I uid from the 

